Interpersonal Dependency Research Articles

Attachment Style, Interpersonal Dependency and Quality of Life Among Emerging Adult

An emerging adult typically is in a transitional phase from adolescence to full adulthood. Interpersonal dependency refers to a psychological state in which an individual relies heavily on others for emotional support, validation, and decision-making. Quality of life means an individual’s overall well-being and satisfaction with various aspects of their life. This study examines the connection between attachment style, interpersonal dependency and quality of life. 200 emerging adults of age 18-24 made up the sample, which include both males and females were collected from various colleges of Ernakulam and Kottayam district. Adult attachment style scale, Interpersonal dependency Inventory and WHO Quality of life brief scale were the instruments employed. The data was examined using the Spearman's correlation test, using SPSS version 28. In this present study there is a partial relationship between the subscales of attachment style, interpersonal dependency and quality of life. Some of the subscales of these variables are correlated and other subscales are non-correlated. There exists a positive correlation between some of the subscales of attachment style, interpersonal dependency and quality of life and the other subscales of attachment style, interpersonal dependency and quality of life was negatively correlated among emerging adults.

Correlation between students’ emotional intelligence and emotional dependency

The aim of the article is to determine the specifics of the relationship between the components of emotional intelligence (EI) and the emotional dependency (ED) reactions in student age. The MSCEIT (The Mayer–Salovey–Caruzo Emotional Intelligence Test) and R. Hirshfield’s Interpersonal Dependence Test were used to achieve the aim and objectives of the study. The article analyses the dynamics and correlation of indicators for educational courses at the bachelor’s level of higher education institutions (HEIs). The prevalence of the medium indicators of the levels of EI and manifestations of ED was found during the studied period. A significant increase in EI indicators was determined between the second and third years of study. A gradual decrease in the ED reaction before the completion of studies in HEIs was recorded. Significant correlations of the ED parameters with the conscious management of emotions, the ability to understand and identify experiences were calculated. Most often, the connections between the EI components were established to manifested with the level of self-confidence. It can be stated that high EI indicators determine a decrease in EI. The research prospects may be the development and verification of the effectiveness of programmes for EI development at student age.

The Tendency to Use Substances/Drugs and its Association with Interpersonal Dependence in Iranian Medical Students.

Personality traits or disorders are now attracting more attention as factors in the initiation and continuation of substance/drug use. However, few studies have been conducted on the association between interpersonal dependence and substance/drug use. The present study aimed to investigate the association between this form of psychological dependence and the tendency to use substances/drugs in medical students. The present study was based on an analytical cross-sectional design and conducted on 310 medical students selected by stratified sampling at Guilan University of Medical Sciences in 2021. The Interpersonal Dependency Inventory and the Iranian Addiction Potential Scale were employed to assess the two variables of interpersonal dependence and the tendency to use substances/drugs. The correlation matrix shows that the tendency to use substances/drugs has a significant negative correlation with interpersonal dependence (P=0.0001, r=-0.285) in general and emotional reliance on another person (P=-0.0001, r=-0.264) and lack of social self-confidence (LSSC) (P=0.0001, r=-0.297) in particular. Female (F=8.57, P=0.004) and married (F=5.14, P=0.024) students showed more tendency to use substances/drugs than male and single students, but no significant difference was observed regarding interpersonal dependence. Academic course, residence status, parents' occupation, number of family members, and birth order did not significantly affect the scores. Interpersonal dependence can have different functions, depending on its level. Although interpersonal dependence at maladaptive levels can act as a risk factor and make a person vulnerable to some behavioral problems, at adaptive levels, it acts as a protective factor and reduces those problems.

Adaptive Graph Learning for Multimodal Conversational Emotion Detection

Multimodal Emotion Recognition in Conversations (ERC) aims to identify the emotions conveyed by each utterance in a conversational video. Current efforts encounter challenges in balancing intra- and inter-speaker context dependencies when tackling intra-modal interactions. This balance is vital as it encompasses modeling self-dependency (emotional inertia) where speakers' own emotions affect them and modeling interpersonal dependencies (empathy) where counterparts' emotions influence a speaker. Furthermore, challenges arise in addressing cross-modal interactions that involve content with conflicting emotions across different modalities. To address this issue, we introduce an adaptive interactive graph network (IGN) called AdaIGN that employs the Gumbel Softmax trick to adaptively select nodes and edges, enhancing intra- and cross-modal interactions. Unlike undirected graphs, we use a directed IGN to prevent future utterances from impacting the current one. Next, we propose Node- and Edge-level Selection Policies (NESP) to guide node and edge selection, along with a Graph-Level Selection Policy (GSP) to integrate the utterance representation from original IGN and NESP-enhanced IGN. Moreover, we design a task-specific loss function that prioritizes text modality and intra-speaker context selection. To reduce computational complexity, we use pre-defined pseudo labels through self-supervised methods to mask unnecessary utterance nodes for selection. Experimental results show that AdaIGN outperforms state-of-the-art methods on two popular datasets. Our code will be available at https://github.com/TuGengs/AdaIGN.

Love me, because I rely on you: Dependency-oriented help-seeking as a strategy for human mating.

Existing research has suggested a predominantly negative view of dependency-oriented help. In contrast, the current research aims to test the positive function of dependency-oriented help in intimate relationships where interpersonal dependency is valued. We hypothesized that dependency-oriented help-seeking could function in communicating liking and romantic interests and, therefore, can be instrumental in attracting mates. Our hypothesis was confirmed across nine studies (N = 2,535). For help-seekers, a mate-seeking motivation could positively predict (Study 1) and lead to (Studies 2A-4) dependency-oriented help-seeking behavior tendencies (Studies 1-2B) and actual behavior (Studies 3 and 4). For help-providers, after activating a mating goal, imagining (Studies 5A and 5B) and actually receiving (Study 6) dependency-oriented (vs. autonomy-oriented) help-seeking requests from a potential mate increased help-providers' romantic interests in that mate. Study 7 further showed the function of dependency-oriented help from the perspective of romantic competitors. As such, people in romantic relationships were more likely to see a potential competitor as a mate poacher when this person asked for dependency-oriented help from their partner. Theoretical and practical implications have been discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Neuropsychopathology of interpersonal dependency in patients with brain damage

Using the Iowa Scales of Personality Change (ISPC), this research investigated the relationship between the following ISPC dimensions of personality disturbance and subscales in the post-acute stage of brain damage: interpersonal dependency (ID), anxiety (ANX), depression (DPRSN), and executive function (EF-subscale). Our sample consisted of 207 adult neurological patients with a history of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), stroke, tumor, anoxia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). In two studies, we first observed how ID, EF, depression, and anxiety are subject to change prior to brain damage to the post-acute stage. We then evaluated these domains as predictors of ID to inform how they impact quality of life, daily functioning, and behavioral rehabilitation. Results indicate that disturbances in EF and anxiety significantly predicted ID across all categories of brain damage, and that patients with TLE were spared from worsening depression, anxiety, EF, and ID in the long term, after their temporal lobectomy. This contrasts with patients with other sources of brain damage, who significantly deteriorated in these domains. However, the decline in these domains did not reach clinical diagnostic cutoffs (ISPC-Now score ≥ 4 on a defined 7-point scale) in any of these patient groups. This research identifies some of the long-term executive function, affect, and personality determinants of QOL in patients with brain damage, further delineates the comorbidity between these domains in these neurological patients, and indicates that a temporal lobectomy in patients with TLE leaves these domains, which are vital to daily functioning, relatively spared.

Design and Internal Validation of an Educational-Therapeutic Model for Addressing Co-Dependency Based on Perceived Lived Experiences of Adolescents

Purpose: Adolescence is the third developmental stage, beginning after the completion of childhood. This stage, influenced by developmental changes, exposes individuals to a higher risk of developmental dysfunctions and psychosocial harm compared to other life stages. The present study aimed to design and internally validate an educational-therapeutic model for addressing co-dependency based on the perceived lived experiences of co-dependent adolescents in the Khattam region. Methods and Materials: A sequential exploratory mixed-methods approach was employed. The qualitative part utilized inductive content analysis, while the quantitative part gathered opinions from professors and experts through a survey. In the qualitative section, the statistical sample for semi-structured interviews included 15 co-dependent adolescents from the Khattam region. In the quantitative section, 12 professors and specialists were selected as the sample. Based on the content analysis, 5 main themes and 12 sub-themes were extracted. Findings: The qualitative findings indicated that the themes and sub-themes were divided into two dimensions, individual and social. The individual dimension included reactivity with sub-components (denial, obsession, and anger), the need for control with sub-components (suppression of emotions and difficulty in establishing relationships), and alienation. The social dimension included interpersonal dependency with sub-components (controlling, distrust, abnormal relationships, weak boundaries), and external focus with sub-components (caring for others and being influenced by external factors). Conclusion: It can be concluded that educational system stakeholders should consider the proposed model of this research for designing and implementing effective education aimed at enhancing the self-efficacy of adolescents.

Disentangling associations between pubertal development, healthy activity behaviors, and sex in adolescent social networks.

With the onset of puberty, youth begin to choose their social environments and develop health-promoting habits, making it a vital period to study social and biological factors contextually. An important question is how pubertal development and behaviors such as physical activity and sleep may be differentially linked with youths' friendships. Cross-sectional statistical network models that account for interpersonal dependence were used to estimate associations between three measures of pubertal development and youth friendships at two large US schools drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Whole-network models suggest that friendships are more likely between youth with similar levels of pubertal development, physical activity, and sleep. Sex-stratified models suggest that girls' friendships are more likely given a similar age at menarche. Attention to similar pubertal timing within friendship groups may offer inclusive opportunities for tailored developmental puberty education in ways that reduce stigma and improve health behaviors.

Control of the Black Sea Straits: The Kerch Incident

This article addresses regional security in the EU’s South-Eastern neighbourhood. The current Russia–Ukraine relations represent a critical point within the historical power competition over the Black Sea straits between Russia–Türkiye and Russia–NATO. The Black Sea has three geopolitically significant straits. Two are controlled by Türkiye – the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, connecting the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. One is currently controlled by Russia – the Kerch Strait, connecting the Black Sea and the Azov Sea. The unresolved regional security crises include the Kerch Strait incident from 2018, in which Russian vessels implemented military action against Ukrainian vessels.This study is inductive. It addresses the Kerch Strait incident as a security crisis of two contrasting perspectives – first, that of maritime security and international law, and second, the psychological drama triangle – a model of interpersonal dependency, which I apply to international relations. These two approaches lead to a better understanding of ongoing processes. First, the maritime law perspective shows the inapplicability of international maritime law due to opposing vital security interests of the participants. Second, the psychological perspective suggests an alternative explanation of recurring crises in international relations. The findings suggest two solutions. First, based on international maritime law, the Kerch incident could be resolved only if Russia and Ukraine agree on the ownership of Crimea and its territorial waters. However, their differing perception of security threats is an obstacle to such resolution. Second, the drama triangle of human interaction examines interpersonal conflict in which the victim has to interrupt the cycle of victimisation. Applying this psychological model to IR suggests that Ukraine, if in the victim role, should aim self-empowerment to minimise dependencies on dominant international actors.

Entrusting life to professionals: A phenomenological hermeneutical study of older persons' participation in prehospital emergency care involving municipal home care and ambulance services.

Participation in care is considered to promote safe and qualitative care. Care-dependent older persons ageing in place have increased emergency care needs, which initiate inter-organisational collaboration involving municipal home care and ambulance services. Previous research concludes that uncertainties exist regarding what participation in care means in clinical practice, which necessitates the need to illuminate the phenomenon for older persons in critical life situations. This study aimed to illuminate meanings of participation in prehospital emergency care from the perspective of care-dependent older persons experiencing acute illness at home. This study has a qualitative design with a lifeworld approach. A phenomenological hermeneutical method was used to analyse transcribed telephone interviews with eleven care-dependent persons aged 70-93 years. Care-dependent older persons' participation in prehospital emergency care means 'Entrusting life to professional caregivers' when being in helpless solitude and existentially unsafe, which emphasises a deepened interpersonal dependence. Meanings of participation in care from the perspective of older persons involve Being reassured in togetherness, Being pliant in trust of emergency expertise, Being enabled through the agency of professional caregivers, and Encountering readiness in the emergency care chain. Care-dependent older persons' participation in prehospital emergency care is existential and involves interpersonal dependence. Togetherness brings reassurance, safety and opportunity for emotional rest while accessing the professional caregivers' power, competence and abilities which provide opportunities for existence and movement towards well-being and continued living. Prehospital emergency care from the perspective of care-dependent older persons transcends organisational boundaries and includes the municipal mobile safety alarm service. The involved municipal and regional organisations need to provide support by implementing lifeworld-led care models and care alternatives that enable professionals to recognise the existential dimension of participation in care.

Ayahuasca ceremonies: set and setting features across Italy and Colombia

PurposeAyahuasca ceremonies are currently practiced all over the world. This study aims to investigate ayahuasca ceremonies in Colombia (where ayahuasca use is culturally entrenched) and Italy (where ayahuasca use has only recently spread).Design/methodology/approachIn total, 32 Italian (53% males; 47% females) and 28 Colombian (79% males; 21% females) ayahuasca ceremony participants completed an online survey. Ceremonial setting and set (motivations for ayahuasca use, ayahuasca perceived effects and features of participants, i.e. drug use and problematic use, interpersonal dependency, spiritual orientation and quality of life) were investigated. Mann–Whitney U test, Pearson’s χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare the Italian and Colombian samples.FindingsNo differences emerged in the ceremonial setting. Slight differences were observed in motivations for ayahuasca intake and religious beliefs, but not in the preparation for ceremonies, quality of life, interpersonal dependence and spiritual orientation. Italians showed greater use of other psychoactive substances and more drug use problems.Practical implicationsPrevention regarding safer practices of consumption should be promoted to avoid improper uses.Originality/valueFew studies have explored ayahuasca ceremonies (set and setting characteristics) in countries with different traditions on ayahuasca consumption. The results highlight that the use and experience of ayahuasca can take on different meanings depending on the cultural context.

The smartphone as a “significant other”: interpersonal dependency and attachment in maladaptive smartphone and social networks use

Smartphones are increasingly widespread throughout the world and, although smartphones provide various benefits, excessive and maladaptive use is often reported. Given the penetration of smartphones in the individual’s daily life, it is relevant to identify the mechanisms sustaining their use, including the affective bond that the owner may develop with the device. The aim of the current study is to test a novel model to explain smartphone and Social Network Sites (SNS) use from an interpersonal perspective. We hypothesized that adult attachment style and interpersonal patterns (i.e., features of interpersonal dependency) generalize to the emotional bond with the mobile device, interacting with psychological correlates and background factors to predict smartphone and SNS consumption. 341 nonclinical adults (57.2% females; age M = 35.5, SD = 14.6) completed a battery consisting of the Attachment Style Questionnaire, the Relationship Profile Test, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Young Adult Attachment to Phone Scale, and the Social Network Intensity and Social Network Access via Mobile phone Applications. A multi-mediation model supported the hypothesis regarding the influence of interpersonal style in the relationship of the individual with their smartphone and use of SNS. A parallel between attachment style and the emotional bond with the smartphone emerged, with anxious attachment style and destructive overdependence being potential risk factors for maladaptive smartphone use especially in individuals involved in a romantic relationship. Findings are discussed in terms of theoretical implications and intervention strategies towards smartphone dependency.

Intergenerational Trauma, Dependency, and Detachment.

The literature on intergenerational transmission of trauma is predominantly focused on the mental health functioning of children and grandchildren of trauma survivors. Research shows that having a traumatized parent is related to increased psychopathology and dysfunctional attachment patterns in the next generation, but little is known about the effects of parental trauma on other aspects of interpersonal relating. The current study addresses this gap. Participants were young adult students from an urban college; individual and parental trauma histories, and indices of unhealthy dependency, dysfunctional detachment, and healthy dependency, were obtained. Results indicated that a wide range of parental traumas were positively correlated with dysfunctional detachment, but not related to destructive overdependence or healthy dependency. These results suggest that a wide range of parental traumas have a negative impact on the next generation's interpersonal dependency by fostering a tendency to distance themselves from close relationships.

Suicidality and Implicit Dependency in Child and Adolescent Inpatients With Histories of Trauma: Moderating Effect of Gender.

There is lack of empirical findings on a direct link between suicidality and dependency in youth. This is particularly relevant for children and adolescents with a trauma history, since traumatization is a well-established risk factor for suicidality in this population. Research on dependency predominantly uses self-report assessments, which may be susceptible to biases. In this study, performance-based interpersonal dependency scores in inpatient children and adolescents with trauma history were compared with patients' suicidal behavior (suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts) as derived from chart records. The results showed a gender effect. High dependency scores were associated with higher suicidal ideation for girls and with lower suicidal attempts for boys. These findings demonstrate that a relationship between dependency and suicidality for hospitalized traumatized youth is impacted by gender.

Relationship Between Interpersonal Dependency And General Relationship Satisfaction Among Young Adults

In recent years, surveys show an increase of divorce rates globally. There are numerous reasons that could play a role in this change of relationship dynamics. The present study investigates the Relationship between interpersonal dependency and relationship satisfaction among young adults. An interpersonal evaluation which consists of feelings for one’s partner and positive attraction to the relationship is termed as Relationship Satisfaction. The sample size consists of 50 college students both undergraduate and postgraduate who are in a relationship in India. The process of data collection was carried out by the means of questionnaires and personal information that was gathered through google forms. The two questionnaires used for this process are - Relationship assessment scale and Interpersonal dependency inventory. The study found that there is no significant relationship between emotional reliance, lack of self-confidence, assertion of autonomy, and general relationship satisfaction. The study also found that there is no significant difference in interpersonal dependency and general relationship satisfaction among first-born and second-born young adults.

Genetic predictors of interpersonal dependence

For several decades, numerous scientific discussions about the definition and essence of the codependency phenomenon have been ongoing. At the same time, some researchers note a close relationship between this phenomenon and the concept of interpersonal dependence, considering its destructive and positive impact on personality. The relevance and value of the conducted research lies in the fact that despite numerous studies, including interdisciplinary ones, the question about the nature of interpersonal dependence remains open. The aim is to study the differences in levels of interpersonal dependence in different polymorphic variants of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) genes. An interdisciplinary molecular genetic and psychological study of 132 women with drug addiction in remission for more than two years was conducted. As a psychological tool was used, “The Interpersonal Dependency Inventory” developed by R. Hirschfield and adapted by O.P. Makushina was used. For determining the polymorphic variants of candidate genes, a method of isolating genomic DNA from buccal epithelial cells was used. The candidate genes considered were genotypes and alleles of the neurotransmitter pathways COMT and DRD2. For statistical processing of the obtained data, the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test was used. Substantial differences were found between the levels of interpersonal dependence in the genotypes VV and VM of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme; a trend of statistically significant differences was detected between the levels of interpersonal dependence in the genotypes CT and TT of the DRD2 gene. The features identified during the study should be taken into account in the process of carrying out psychological and preventive measures for people with addictive behaviour.

Роль взаимоотношений подростков с социальным окружением как фактор защиты от рисковых форм поведения

Background. Adolescence is associated with a high probability of the debut of risky behaviours. At the same time, social environment and the need for it can determine the potential for the implementation of this behavior. Family relationships play a leading role in shaping the behaviour of a teenager. Among all the factors of a dysfunctional social environment that can form emotional experiences or strengthen them, family types of parent-adolescent relationships, as well as the individual needs of adolescents in peer communication, are considered to be the leading ones Objective. The study aims to characterize the factors of protection against risky behaviours among adolescents. Sample. The study involved 865 healthy adolescents aged 15–17 years, among whom 120 adolescents were selected according to the inclusion criteria (voluntary informed consent from a teenager and legal representatives; exclusion criteria: adolescents with official diagnoses according to ICD-10 related to behavioral disorders; chronic mental and somatic diseases), 70 of them were (57.4%) boys and 50 subjects were (41.6%) girls. From the same sample, a study of “parental tolerance” was conducted in 50 parent pairs of adolescents. Methods. The empirical study was conducted with psychodiagnostic methods: (Shipitsyna, 2001) “Study of risk factors and protection”; modified technique of Bern questionnaire version “Ways to overcome critical situations” (Goncharova, 2006); “PSM-25 psychological stress scale” (Taylor, 1953, Nemchin, 1966), and “Questionnaire for determining nervous-mental stability, risk of maladjustment in stress “Prognosis” (Rybnikov, 1985); “Parental tolerance” (Ovcharova, 2018); methodology “Relationship profile test” (Bornstein, Girshfield, 2001, Makushina, 2005). Correlation analysis was applied to study the relationship between indicators of “parental tolerance”, the severity of stress, and stress resistance. Pearson and Spearman coefficients, their determination coefficients (r2) and the reliability of the correlation were calculated. Results. It is shown that for every second teenager, the factors of protection against risky behaviours included social environment (61.6%), family (65.4%), school (46.9%). At the same time, a high degree of need to overcome negative situations in adolescents was revealed in the search for support (in every fourth teenager); self-esteem increase (in 22.2% of adolescents); problem analysis (in 24.2% of adolescents). Among all the components of parental tolerance, 4 indicators of the cognitive component and 6 indicators of the emotional component had a reliable strong relationship that determines the severity of stress resistance. The etiology of interpersonal dependence of moderate severity was based on emotional reliance on others in 72.3% of students; self-doubt in 80.5% of students and the desire for autonomy in 55.5% of students. Conclusion. The materials of the study indicate the need to monitor factors of protection against risky behaviours, as well as their correction through work not only directly with the adolescents themselves, but also with their families, as well as the actualization of preventive work aimed at teaching adolescents to overcome negative emotional experiences with effective methods.

Dependent Personality and Interpersonal Dependency: At the Intersection of Developmental, Identity and Interpersonal Aspects

The author examines dependency as a pathological personality feature—one that originates in failures of developmental need fulfilment—and shows how the subsequent identity impairment may influence adult relationships. The author argues that, developmentally, the caregiver's unresolved pathological dependency causes a disruption in the child's need gratification as the child's focus is turned towards the caregiver's pathological needs. Internal object relations become characterized by a dependent internal object and need‐fulfilling self‐representation, which are supported developmentally by the disavowal of authentic dependency needs. In adult life, the individual's identity and self‐esteem, through projections, become dependent on interpersonal relationships, which are used to control internal cohesion at the expense of authentic attachment and intimacy. Pathological dependency is thus intrapsychic rather than merely interpersonal. The author also explores the concept of excessive independence, that is, through identification with independence as an ego ideal, considered a defensive attempt to disidentify from an underlying pathological dependency.

Interpersonal Dependency and Life Satisfaction Among Young Adults

The observable characteristics of the young adults of this century has claimed their determination to become an independent personality. But for the same they depend on one another. Gender based studies on interpersonal dependency have shown that it plays a prominent role in individuals personal life. The present study aims to find “Interpersonal Dependency and Life Satisfaction Among Young Adults. The sample size of the study was 91 and the data were collected from the college students of age group ranging from 18 - 24. The method used to select the sample population was a random sampling method. The data was analysed using the spearman bivariate correlation method. The findings of the study revealed that there is a positive relation between interpersonal dependency and life satisfaction among young adults.

Assessing the Impact of Relationship Profile Test Scores, Self-Identified Ethnic Group, and Gender on Adult Attachment Style.

Research shows that the subscales of the Relationship Profile Test (RPT) are related to adult attachment. Gender differences have been implicated, but findings are inconsistent in terms of replication. A limited amount of research has been conducted on ethnic differences in the context of interpersonal dependency. This study aims to bridge the gap in the literature in terms of using the RPT to predict attachment styles and to assess gender and ethnic group differences in RPT scores. Four samples from various treatment settings were combined to yield a heterogeneous group of ethnically diverse men and women (N = 470) with a mean age of 31.96. No gender differences were observed; however, ethnic differences were noted, with the RPT scales predicting unique variance in secure and insecure attachment styles. This study evidences the incremental validity of the RPT scales when predicting adult attachment style with consideration of ethnic group differences, which can help inform the treatment and assessment process.